Thanks to UTPA's Study Abroad Program, my life has been enriched and blessed. The Office of International Programs and the Department of Modern Languages and Literature helped me spend two semesters studying in Bordeaux, France. There, I embarked upon great adventures which led me to a wealth of knowledge and allowed me to meet a lot of people I know will be friends for life. The experience opened my mind and advanced my academic goals. My deepest admiration and most heartfelt respect go out to all who work with the Study Abroad Program at UTPA. I encourage my fellow Broncs to be bold and apply for a study abroad program today!
Oscar Jiménez
Hawaii 2007
Studying abroad has changed my life dramatically. I have a whole new appreciation for diffrent cultures and will never stop traveling. Hawaii is beautiful everyone here is so nice and helpful. I highly recommend studying abroad because it helps you mature as a person and lets you experience something not many people get to.
Lynnette Aguilar
I really enjoy the opportunity I have had to come to the University of Manoa at Hawaii. I love it here and I don't even want to think about going back to Texas. It really opened my eyes and exposed me to amazing cultures and beauty in every form possible. The weather is perfect and the view from out the dorm windows is undescrible. It really feels like heaven here. The students and faculty are great and I felt welcome and a part of the school since I got here. Everyone is really nice in Oahu. I don't see any excuse a student could give to not venture out and take advantage of the UTPA International Program.
Sincerely,
Leandra Villarreal
Yemen 2007
The reason I chose to study abroad in Yemen and learn Arabic was because the program provided a great opportunity for me to submerse myself in a culture that I knew little about first hand and only knew from books I had read.
Being in Yemen has really opened my eyes to what it is like to live in the Middle East and in a Muslim country. I have had a wonderful time living here so far. I have meet people from all over the world and made friends with them from such places as Scotland, England, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Mexico, France, and Yemen just to name a few. I have found the people of Yemen to be some of the most friendly and caring people I have ever encountered. I have also found that studying Arabic in Yemen was a perfect choice for me because the majority of people hardly speak English forcing me to learn Arabic quickly. In addition, the people who do speak English in Yemen have been the most helpful in making sure that I learn Arabic by inviting me into their businesses or restaurants to speak with their friends and customers in order to learn Arabic. My time here in Yemen has also been spent shopping at the local suq (market) or strolling the streets of Sana’a in order to familiarize myself with the city. Study abroad was something I always knew I would do and the Office of International Programs helped me in achieving that dream. Studying abroad is a choice I will continue to make in the future and the only question is which country from the many will I chose to go to next?
Jennifer Bland
HONORS ITALY 2006
Jonatan Reyes, a junior majoring in Computer Science, participated in the Italy Honors Program in Intersession 2006.
According to Reyes, studying abroad is an amazing and exciting adventure where one experiences diversity of cultures and traditions. “Certainly, it was one of my most memorable experiences during college life,” said Reyes. “It has showed me not to keep on the same path but look beyond new opportunities and expand my perspectives and ideas.”
Reyes believes that personal interaction is an efficient tool that makes learning better. “It is an exciting and great opportunity which every student should not miss,” said Reyes. “I encourage anyone who contemplates to join study abroad programs. Definitively, it will make a difference in your college life.”
Studying abroad to experience the culture and lifestyle of another country was truly breath taking for Denise M. Elizondo, a senior pre-med student at The University of Texas-Pan American. According to Elizondo, who participated in the Italy Honors Program in Intersession 2006, is once in a lifetime event. “Words could not explain this experience,” she said.
Elizondo believes reading about music, art, and culture is completely different from experiencing it. “To be able to sit in a grand opera house and see Don Carlo by Verdi, is completely different from reading the opera or seeing it on TV,” Elizondo said. “I was able to completely understand the reason for the architecture of the opera house, and the setup of the stage.” Elizondo said, to read about ones culture is completely different than being a part of that culture. Furthermore, she believes eating their food, listening to their music, and interacting with the people can never be accomplished in a classroom to its fullest.
Elizondo will be participating in a medical program in Guadalajara, Mexico for the next three years. “I can honestly say that my first two trips to Europe had a tremendous impact on my decision,” she said. According to Elizondo, coming from a small town she was unaware of the depth of this world, and this trip has instilled in her a passion to travel and experience different cultures the way they should be.
Moreover, she said studying abroad is something that every student should experience, and not wait to take advantage of the great opportunity. “I wish I would have started as a Freshmen in college and not waited until my Junior year.”
FLORENCE, ITALY 2005
I wanted to write and tell you what an amazing experience it was to be able to go to Italy this past summer. The history was so rich there, and there was never a dull moment from which I was not able to learn something. As a student of the arts, especially, I appreciated the amazing opportunity to see the monumental art of Italy, evidence of the astounding achievements of which man is capable. I will always benefit from the things I saw there, driving me to accomplish more in the art that is created for our world today.
With much gratitude,
Theressa Steele
BORDEAUX 2005
Study Abroad is: more than a life changing experience, you discover more about yourself , things you never imagined, experiences that stay with you for the rest of your life. Something that you would never regret. EVER!!
Fabiola de la Garza
CANADA 2005
My name is Martha Anta and I attended the study-abroad Canada program during Summer II of 2005. In continuation, I have provided a glimpse of my experiences abroad:
Whether admiring the historic site of Le Château Frontenac, learning what it is to be a Québécois, listening to the popular French-Canadian group Les Cowboys Fringants, or simply having attended the oldest university in Canada, the Canada study-abroad program was not only well-organized and fun, but provided a well-rounded learning experience. Being immersed into the Québécois culture was one of the most exciting and inspiring ways to learn the French language. I had the opportunity to experience first-hand a province that never forgets its past and continues to keep the French language and culture alive!
TURKEY/GREECE 2004
I had a wonderful experience during my undergraduate bachelors in International Studies Program. I had the opportunity to explore new culture and traditions in Turkey and Greece in 2004. Moreover, I strongly recommend students to enjoy this program because not only helps in professional, also on a personal manner.
I have always been impressed and interested in the culture and the language of China. This summer, I was fortunate enough to have immersed myself in the Chinese culture and expand my knowledge by visiting the mysterious orient and meeting it's citizens’ first-hand as a teacher at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China.
The summer English program that I participated in was a rewarding and unforgettable experience that I have benefited from. As a graduate student who aspires to pursue an advanced degree in communication studies, with an emphasis in intercultural and instructional communication, I experienced first-hand the theory and concepts discussed and researched in the discipline and utilized it through practice. In addition, I was also able to gain familiarity with teaching in a university environment with dedicated and highly self-motivated students. This is a program that I would like to attend again in the near future and highly recommend to anyone to that would like to accelerate their education and life experience.
Debora Infente
EXCHANGE/VISITING
Filip Raseta
Bordeaux, France
"I really enjoy being in the Valley, the weather is nice, people are friendly and parties are awesome. The classes are interesting and the teachers are really passionate. I think I will be back very soon. Thank you."
Aggun Catak
Turkey
My name is Aygun Catak and I am a Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) at The University of Texas-Pan American for the 2006 - 2007 academic year. Before I come here, I was wondering about the adaptation process since I am from Turkey which is a totally different culture and different country from US. But I found an incredible atmosphere here that I sometimes forgot that I am not in my home country. My dual position as an exchange student and at the same time as an instructor of Turkish language gave me the opportunity to have wonderful experiences. First of all, as an exchange student, I would not be able to be so successful in my courses and academic processes without the great help of all the staff of The Office of International Programs. During the semester we, as exchange students, are given lots of activities to spend time and be familiar with the environment such as international parties, free movie nights with free food of course and thanks to all of them that I have never felt alone.
As a FLTA of Turkish language, I have tried to share what I know about my culture and my language and I have tried to learn as much as I can about all the different languages and cultures. As a cultural ambassador, I sold nothing but the idea of tolerance and respect between different cultures and I gained a deeper perspective on American culture, people and language. Actually the most different thing I have experienced in this special place, the Valley, is that I saw the great harmonization of people and cultures and I believe that this place is really special in terms of cultural diversity.
Philip Lucas Schwartz
Luneberg, Germany
As soon as I learned I got chosen to spend a semester abroad at UTPA I got excited a lot but also insecure at the same time. Spending almost half a year abroad about 5,000 miles away from home sounds like an amazing opportunity and experience, but I was also worried about certain things. Due to my disability, I was concerned whether everything would work out well.
My concerns turned out to be baseless. The Office of International Programs organized everything very well.
There was always a person to talk to. Help was readily available and I enjoyed the very warm welcome. Everybody was friendly and open-minded. I had great fun at the events and get-togethers which the Office of International Programs set up during the semester. I am also more than happy that I made friends so quickly. Therefore, I also would like to thank especially my Mexican friends for all the help and fun we had together. Thanks to all for the amazing experience…that surely changed my life.
The Office of International Programs has to keep up the good work! Once again, thank you guys for enabling me to take part in this amazing program.
To my Mexican friends: Gracias a todos Ustedes me la pase muy bien. Es una lastima verlos marchar. Nunca los voy a olvidar, los voy a extranar. Adios amigos, espero verlos de nuevo muy pronto...
Ibrahem Bani Abdo
Jordan
My name is Ibrahem Bani Abdo , a Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) from Jordan, an international graduate student in Linguistics here UTPA , and a part-time instructor of Arabic at UTPA . My experience attending, teaching, and living here in the UTPA community has been excellent. First of all, the courses I have taken as a graduate student have been taught by great teachers who care and know their material well. I have even developed strong professional relationships with my teachers, and they are always eager to visit with me and talk to me if I have any questions.
As an instructor teaching Arabic on campus, it has been a pleasure to educate the students and culture here about my home country, that is, Jordan, and the specific circumstances behind Jordan and the language that the people primarily speak (Arabic). The living situation at UTPA has also been great. In the university apartment complex called " Bronc Village ", I have made good friends and have found it to be a wonderful place to meet people and share experiences with people from countries all around the globe.
In short, UTPA has been a superb chapter in my life, and I would recommend anyone, from any country, to attend or teach here, as the cultural diversity, people, and location all make this place a worthwhile place to dedicate one's academic years.
Thank you very much.
Yu Fei
Ocean University, China
My name is Yu Fei, an exchange student from Ocean University of China. I’m majoring in American and British literature and will get my master degree in June 2007. I’ve been in UTPA from August 17th 2006 as a visiting student with the purpose of teaching Chinese and learning Spanish.
During the process of teaching, I had lots of fun with my students. They feel interested about Chinese Culture and language. Although, there are some similarities and differences between Chinese and American culture, yet we have a wonderful time together, and became good friends. It seems like I’m in my home country and with lots of new friends around me who are really friendly and kindly. I really enjoy this kind of experience and it will benefit for my whole life.
Elvia Susana Prieto
Torreón, México
The semester here at the University of Texas-Pan American was one of my best semesters from my career. I learned different things from each culture and what they were like. I really liked that we had several opportunities to get together with all the exchange students and know more about each other. And around school I was also able to know other people from different countries. I did enjoy my stay here because the city is very calm which was something I did liked and the people are really helpful.
Cecilia Tauzin French Exchange Student from the Université Michel de Montaigne Bordeaux 3, France
When I knew I was selected to study at UTPA, I was excited. I was looking forward to discovering a brand new country, a brand new culture and of course, make new friends. The first time I entered the university, it was to go to the Office of International Programs. We didn’t know anybody. I was stricken by the warmth of the staff there – all were so friendly. It felt like home! I am so thankful because every time we have a problem or a question, I know that there will be people willing to help me out, always with a smile! Then, the courses here in UTPA are interesting, as far as business and management are concerned. I learned a lot and on regular basis, which is good and different from what I was used to in France. We are taught subjects in a different way, with many team work projects and presentations, which made me learn a lot. And last but not least, I met incredible people here and from all around the world: Mexicans, Germans, a Saudi Arabian and a Tanzanian. Thanks to them, I had lots of fun. We had a great time together, sharing and discovering each other’s cultures and habits. This experience as a whole has enriched me, both in a human and professional way. It was really self-fulfilling for me. I encourage every student to go study abroad because it is an opportunity of a lifetime. It opens your mind and you see things differently after such an experience.
Pauline Villar
French Exchange Student from the Université Michel de Montaigne Bordeaux 3, France
“The experience I achieved by participating in the exchange program between my French University and that of UTPA was amazing! I had a great time at UTPA because I met wonderful people here. I liked the Valley a lot, and it was so different!
I think I should have applied for a longer period (more than one semester!) because such experience changes your life and your mind. I would like to encourage students to study abroad, they will never regret it!"
Aurelie Letellier
French Exchange Student from the Université Michel de Montaigne Bordeaux 3, France
"Being an exchange student here in UTPA has opened my mind a lot. I have discovered new horizons and cultures, studied very interesting classes and made a lot of wonderful friends. That is what I would call: a very rich experience, and I really enjoy it!!"
Emilie Garcia
French Exchange Student from the Université Michel de Montaigne Bordeaux 3, France
"My experience in Texas was amazing! I think that my semester in Panam was very good and thanks to all the staff who really helped us in everything...The Office International Programs is very competent and it was good to feel that everybody was so present and helpful.. Thank you so much!
As for the courses, I liked the classes, and the professors were really nice and helpful, too.
I'm really glad to have been able to discover such a different culture and meet so many nice people. I had a good time here and thanks to all these people who tried to make us happy and to help us to see the maximum of things here. I hope to come back soon!"
Juan Enrique Gomez Herrera
Tec de Monterrey, Campus Tampico
"I have been having good times here at Pan Am, and also at the same time getting more skills that I would have never get if I haven't came here."
Francisco Rivas Madero
Tec de Monterrey, Campus Tampico
I will like to thank all of you too, for your time and your dedication. My experience in panam was really fun, it was very good and it did much well to me. The people were very kind, the classes were really interesting and the labs were great there. I really feel it was a value added to my life.
Thank you.
Ali Lasloom
Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program from Saudi Arabia
“I am Ali Lasloom from Saudi Arabia. I don't know from where I should start. The University of Texas-Pan American ( UTPA) is one of the greatest universities I have known. UTPA has great professors and they are friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. At the beginning, it was difficult for me but I really appreciate the role of the Office of International Programs for arranging meetings for the exchange students and create a friendly environment, which allowed us to know each other very well. I gained a lot of experience from UTPA, especially in education. UTPA also gave me an opportunity to meet people from many countries of the world and learn about their culture. Other then meeting people from USA, of course. I met people from China, Tanzania, Germany, France, Bahrain, Sudan, Lebanon, Jordan, Mexico, Kenya and many more. I owe a special thanks to UTPA for the rest of my life and especially to the Office of International Programs for always being there to help.”
Boniphace Makene
Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program from Tanzania
“Being a Fulbright at a university in the U.S. is a privilege that many people miss! I managed to be among the few who enjoyed this privilege by Teaching Swahili Language and African Culture at The University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) in the year 2005/06. My teaching experience at UTPA opened my mind and shaped my understanding especially on issues related to culture and international relations. UTPA is a potential multicultural university. Its student’s and staffs are very cooperative. They are ready to learn new things and they are open minded in things happening outside the United States. There is more need for this university to increase contact and relations with universities from Africa as it does to other continents. I will always love to be UTPA alumnae.”
Profesora Nora Guzmán
Spanish Department from Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)-Campus Monterrey
“Mi experiencia en Pan Am fue excelente, principalmente porque los estudiantes son muy trabajadores y respetuosos. Los llevo en un lugar especial en mi corazón.
Me encantó trabajar con alumnos hispanos que además comparten la cultura estadounidense, pude constatar que tienen lo mejor de las dos experiencias culturales…
A todos los profesores colegas del departamento de Modern Languages y a las secretarias, así como a todas las amigas de la oficina de Programas Internacionales fue un gusto trabajar en Pan Am.”
Studying abroad has changed my life dramatically. I have a whole new appreciation for diffrent cultures and will never stop traveling. Hawaii is beautiful everyone here is so nice and helpful. I highly recommend studying abroad because it helps you mature as a person and lets you experience something not many people get to.
Studying abroad to experience the culture and lifestyle of another country was truly breath taking for 
I wanted to write and tell you what an amazing experience it was to be able to go to Italy this past summer. The history was so rich there, and there was never a dull moment from which I was not able to learn something. As a student of the arts, especially, I appreciated the amazing opportunity to see the monumental art of Italy, evidence of the astounding achievements of which man is capable. I will always benefit from the things I saw there, driving me to accomplish more in the art that is created for our world today. 
My name is 
